Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2017
640. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí on secondment to the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement; the rank of each; the duration of the secondment; the person to whom they are answerable during their secondment; the measures in place to avoid a conflict of interest in cases of investigation into Garda businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38249/17]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for carrying on and managing and controlling generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.
I have requested the specific information sought by the Deputy from the Garda Commissioner and I will write to her on receipt of same.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 42A:
I refer to your Parliamentary Questions No. 640 for answer on 11 September 2017, the text of which was as follows:
"To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Gardaí on secondment to the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement; the rank of each; the duration of the secondment; the person to whom they are answerable during their secondment; the measures in place to avoid a conflict of interest in cases of investigation into Garda businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter."
At the time I responded that I would request the specific information sought by you from the Garda Commissioner and that I would write directly to you on receipt of same
The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel. among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of these resources.
Section 12 (3-6), Company Law Enforcement Act, 2001 allows for the secondment of Garda personnel to the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement and provides that:
The Act also indicated that personnel seconded to the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement continue to be under the general direction and control of the Garda Commissioner, however the Director of Corporate Enforcement is independent in the performance of his or her functions and seconded personnel performing the functions of the Director are subject to the directions of the Director only in relation to those matters.
The secondment of Garda personnel to the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement commenced in 2002. As of 4 September 2017 there were two (2) Detective Sergeants and four (4) Detective Gardaí on secondment to the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement. I am further informed that at present there is no time-period specified for the duration of these secondments.
I trust that this information is of assistance.
